Giro 2018 Favourites stage 16: Tom Dumoulin versus Rohan Dennis

If Tom Dumoulin is to win the Giro d'Italia for a second time in a row the 16th stage will be crucial. Last year, he won the overall in the time trials, although he didn't win them both. Rohan Dennis is a force to be reckoned with on today's 34.2 kilometres course.(Slideshow route/profile)

In last year’s time trials Dumoulin put 3 minutes into Nibali and even more into Quintana, his main rivals on GC. He struck the biggest blow in the hilly chrono-race of almost 40 kilometres, while Van Emden powered to victory in the flat 29.3 kilometres ITT on the last day of action. That course was similar to today’s, albeit a bit shorter en entirely flat. Van Emden outgunned Dumoulin with 15 seconds.

The 16th stage of the 2018 Giro d’Italia runs from Trento to Rovereto. With approximately 10 kilometres remaining the route enters an undulating section with slopes up to 10%.

So far Dennis is the best time trialist of 2018. In January, he won his third national Australian time trialling title in a row, while he was also the fastest rider in the chrono-races of the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Tirreno-Adriatico. Last year, he featured on the start list of the Giro, but he abandoned the race on the 4th stage after a crash on the 3rd stage.

Tom Dumoulin bested Rohan Dennis in the first chrono-race of the Giro. The Dutchman won that race 2 seconds ahead of both Dennis and Victor Campenaerts – both in the same time. That course was more trying though, which suited Dumoulin.